Hold on Till the Dawn
by Anawey
Summary: How I think Supernatural will end. Character death. Rated for violence.
1. Battle to End All

Hold on Till the Dawn

How I think Supernatural will end.

Disclaimer; I don't own Supernatural, and no, this is not spoilers. I honestly don't know how Kripke will end the show. This is just how I think it'll end.

Battle to End All  
XxX

The Impala careened down the road, speeding toward the place where Lucifer would break out of Hell. They had to stop him and his demon hoards. The had no idea how it would be possible, but every Hunter in the world would be out there, fighting. Dean and Sam shared a quick look as they pulled up to the abandoned field. This was where it would begin. And end.

"You ready for this, Sam?" Dean asked, knowing full well his brother was as eager to finish this as he was.

"Dean, do you even need to ask me that?" Sam smirked. Dean shrugged as they stepped out of the car, weapos in hand and ready for battle.

Dean and Sam stood, and waited, watching as other hunters pulled up. There was a woman on a motorbike with a closed-in sidd-car, and out of the side-car stepped a punky looking teen with a semi-automatic rifle, her face set in a tight, determined glare. She was clearly the woman's daughter, with the facial resemblance. On the other side, there was Bobby, ready and waiting, shotgun loaded, his face set. There was a tough-looking guy - He looked Native American - who'd pulled up in an old Honda truck.

_So many, _Dean realized. _So many come to fight._

Jo and Ellen were there, too. In one hand, Jo held a pistol, and in her other, her father's knife. Ellen weilded a very familiar shotgun, which had been turned on Dean, once, long ago.

It wasn't just here, though. Around the world, Hunters were waiting, standing on the edge of the battlefield, the fighting spirit running strongly through their veins. Dean could almost feel his father standing beside him.

Lightning forked upwards from the ground suddenly, and Dean glared tightly. This was it. Another bolt of electricity shot up from the grass, and then a fissure appeared in the earth, and demons swarmed. The battle was on.

For the most part, the Hunters managed to stay in groups; fighting back to back with one or two others. Sam and Dean had fought side-by-side through most of the fight. Then they were separated. Dean didn't have much time to worry about it, though; demons were surrounding him and many others on all sides.

He saw the Native American guy shooting almost wildly at anything inhuman. He saw that woman on the motorcycle take out two demons with one shot. All around them, it seemed like the Hunters were gaining the advantage. Maybe the could win this war after all.

All around him, the fight raged. At one point, Dean could see Sam struggling against a rather nasty looking demon.

"Alastre!" Dean realized. He started running to help his brother, when he saw Sam shoot his gun, and the demon fell. He didn't see Sam after than, but he knew his brother was okay, somewhere in the fight, doing his best to stay alive.

And then there was Jo. She was up against another big one, Baltazaar. Dean remembered him from Hell, too.

But Jo was losing, unlike Sam. She wasn't strong enough to hold him off. Dean rushed in, firing at the demon. It fell just as it lunged at Jo. She looked around and smiled before she, too, vanished back into the fight.

"Watch your back!!" the teen Dean had seen just before the fight screamed. Dean turned just in time to avoid a demon's claws slashing at his head.

He ended up fighting with the girl for most of the battle. She was good with her gun, but when a demon got too close, she switched to a gleaming sword, slashing at the demons left and right with controlled, powerful swings. She was wild, for such a young kid. Dean guessed she was a good twelve or so years younger than him. Her dark hair was held back with a piece of leather, snapped together, and attached to a hair tie. There was blood on her face. Hopefully not anyone she knew.

"What's your name?" Dean asked, shooting another demon.

"Destiny!" the girl replied, firing off her gun again. "Though, I doubt now is the time for introductions – _Whoap!" _

A demon had gotten in close, and took a swing at her middle, just missing her stomach. She switched to her sword, and stabbed the demon in the face.

"'Lord of the Rings' style take down!" she howled. "Take _that!!" _

She was like a demon herself, with her energy. She kept going and going. In the end, Dean was separated from her, too, and he was alone. He looked around. The demons here were thinning, but so were the Hunters. He caught a glimpse of the girl, again. She was kneeling on the ground, blood running from several gashes in her arms and leg. He looked the other way, and saw Bobby. And he was in trouble. A huge demon, with razor-like claws, and fangs was bearing down on the older hunter from behind as he fought off another one. Dean cocked his gun, and fired, taking the demon out before it even came within striking distance. Bobby grinned, and disappeared into the battle. Dean was alone again.

Almost everyone was gone, by now. The demons had been taken care of, and the Hunters were helping the wounded, or crying over the dead. The woman with the motorcycle was leading her daughter back to their ride, helping her into the side-car, before taking off into the night. Dean looked around. _Where the hell is Sammy?_

"Sam?!?!" he called, his breath fogging in the winter air. "_SAM?!?!"_

Dean wandered the battlefield, searching everywhere for his brother.

"Sam?!?" he yelled over and over, looking under demon and hunter corpses. His heart raced at the possibilities of what had happened to Sam. If he died, it would be all his fault.

"Dean?"

Dean ran toward the voice, his heart in his throat. His mind made up all sorts of horrible images of his little brother's broken, mangled, bloody body, sprawled on the ground as he drew his last breath. Dean forced himself to ignore the smell of the dead demons, and keep looking for Sam. He _had _to find him. Sammy _needed _to be okay.

Finally, Dean found him. His brother was stuck under a huge demon, his head and hands all that was visible. The dead demon shifted as Sam attempted to shove it off of him, but only succeeded in getting himself more stuck.

"SAM!!"

Dean dropped at Sam's side, eyes wide.

"You okay, man? Not hurt? What the hell happened to you, Sammy?"

For once, Sam didn't correct his brother.

"I'm fine," he coughed. "Get this thing off me, it's crushing my ribs!"

Dean laughed, grateful that his little brother was unharmed. His dad's ghost would have kicked his behind if Sam died. Grunting, Dean pushed the demon off Sam, and pulled him up.

Once Sam was on his feet, Dean yanked Sam into a tight hug, silence settling between them.

"Dude," Sam said suddenly, pointing to a very nasty wound in Dean's stomach. "Maybe we should get you to help..."

Dean shook his head, glancing around.

"It's not over, little brother" he said, his breath coming out in a sigh. "Something's not right. Where's Lucifer? Isn't the 'Big Cheese' of the dark side supposed to be here? We've still got a fight ahead of us, Sammy."

Sam looked around. Dean was right. This was where Lucifer was supposed to be. So where was he? Had he decided not to show after all? Or had they simply been wrong about the location? What was going to happen to the world if Lucifer managed to remain alive and in it?

XxX  
First chapter up! This shouldn't be too long, though. Nothing more than ten chapters – hopefully a lot less. Hope you like this. Review, please!


	2. End of the World

End of the World

XxX

"_It's not over," he said, his breath coming out in a sigh. "Something's not right. Where's Lucifer? Isn't the 'Big Cheese' of the dark side supposed to be here? We've still got a fight ahead of us, Sammy."_

-

-

Sam nodded, and then his eyes went wide in pain, and he collapsed against Dean, knocking them both to the ground.

"_Sam!!" _

There was a terrible gash in Sam's lower back, and it was gushing dark blood. Which meant his liver had been hit. Dean's eyes narrowed as tears sprang up in them, and trailed swiftly down his cheeks. No way was this happening. Sammy was _so _not dying in his arms. They were supposed to survive this all together. Grow old, and look back on their younger days of hunting fondly.

Dean gently lifted Sam off him, and lay him on the ground. He was in pain, his back arching off the ground, blood starting to fill his mouth, and flow out over his paling lips.

Dean shook his head, looking down at his baby brother.

"....Dean...." Sam gasped, his eyes terrified.

"Shh, Sammy," Dean whispered, running his hand through Sam's hair. "It's gonna be okay. I guess we missed one. I'll take care of him, then we'll get out of here. I promise, you'll be okay."

A deep, multi-toned laugh rang hollowly through the air and a chill went down Dean's spine. Turning, he saw a great, winged beast. It had huge fangs, and claws that dripped with dark red blood – Sammy's blood. Dean's hatred and anger rose.

"_BASTARD!!!" _he roared, standing and glaring at Lucifer. "I'll _kill you!!!" _

Dean lunged at him, snarling, and beyond reason, his gun forgotten behind him, Ruby's special demon-killer knife in his hand. Tears, dirt, and blood streaked his face as he fought. Lucifer laughed again, cruel and cold.

"Your brother is _dying _Winchester," he taunted. "Better hurry and help him!"

"_SHUT UP!!" _Dean screamed, rushing in at Lucifer again. The bastard would not get away with what he'd done to Sammy. No _freakin' _way.

Dean slashed at Lucifer, and caught his arm. The head demon howled in pain and rage, and knocked Dean into the air with one swipe of his massive claws. The claws cut into his flesh, and the wounds drenched Dean's side in blood. He hit the ground hard, bouncing a bit, then sliding. After a moment, he stood up shakily, eyes blazing.

".....D-dean....."

Lucifer's laugh cut through the air again.

"Listen to him call for you, Winchester," he sneered. "Your little brother needs you."

Dean cried out in anger, and rushed in again, swinging his knife. It missed, and he just barely dodged a swing from Lucifer.

On the side, Sam had managed to turn himself over, and had pushed himself up enough that he could see Dean fighting against Lucifer. He watched, horrified, when Dean was smacked into the air. He saw the blood gush from his brother's side, and when he hit the ground, Sam was sure Dean was dead. Then he was standing, injured but alive. A small smile twitched it's way onto Sam's face, and he called out to his brother, his voice sounding weak in his own ears.

Around and around Dean and Lucifer fought. The last fight had lasted from early evening to somewhere near midnight, and now, it was getting closer to the next day. Dean had to finish this before he ran out of strength and Lucifer won.

He got hit a second time, thrown far into some underbrush in a grove of trees at one edge of the field.

Seeing no movement, Lucifer smirked wickedly.

"Come on out, Winchester!" he howled, head thrown back, laughing cruelly. "I know you're alive."

Dean listened to his words from behind the bushes. God, he wanted to fight, but he didn't think he could. He tried to push himself up, but he couldn't do it. Maybe they just weren't meant to win this one.

"Come on, Winchester!" Lucifer called again. "I grow impatient waiting. Or would you rather have your brother take your place?"

That did it. In that moment, Dean snapped, and he flew out of the brush, catching Lucifer off guard, stabbing and slashing, and fighting as hard as he could. He had to do this. Had to get rid of this thing. For Sammy. Sammy, who was lying behind him, somewhere, slowly bleeding to death because of this asshole. There was no way he was going to get away with it. Not while Dean Winchester was alive.

Green eyes flashed with hatred and protectiveness. There was no _way _he'd let Lucifer hurt Sam again. Running in close, Dean managed to knock him down. Instantly, he was on him, slashing, and swinging. Then Lucifer hit him again, in the chest, and he was sent sprawling, blood pooling where he'd landed. He watched through slightly hazy vision as Lucifer stood slowly, and he knew it was over. There was no way – if Lucifer could have survived that last go – that Dean alone could defeat him. But then he stumbled, tripped forward onto his knees, and fell face-first into the ground. Lucifer didn't move.

Dean stood, then, and staggered to Sam's side.

"D-dean.." Sam gasped, reaching weakly for his brother. Dean knelt and pulled him into his arms.

"It's gonna be fine, Sam," he panted, his hands shaking, as he pushed back Sam's hair, and rocked gently. He realized absently that he was crying. But it didn't matter. Nothing would matter if he lost Sam. "Hold on...." Lurching upwards, he started for the Impala, determined to get his brother to safety. But then he tripped, the blood-loss and exhaustion making him weak, and woozy, and they crashed to the ground, Sam rolling out of his grasp.

After a moment, Dean managed to drag his body to Sam's where he collapsed beside his baby brother, clutching his hand tightly. They were both covered in blood, and although there was still life in Sam's eyes, they were fixed, and distant.

"...sssamm...." he whispered weakly, words slightly slurred. ".....hollld...onn..."

They were feet from the Impala, but Dean couldn't get up. He wanted to so bad, but he just couldn't. The last thing Dean clearly saw was the sun rising over the hills behind his brother, making him look almost angelic, even with all the blood. Then there was nothing but darkness, and Dean Winchester lost all consciousness.

XxX

Wait. It gets sad, but better at the same time. Just wait. My stories will never have a completely sad ending. Review, please!


	3. No

No  
XxX

At first, Dean didn't know whether he was alive, or dead. Well, he supposed he was alive; death wasn't supposed to hurt, and his side – scratch that, his _whole body – _ached. Groaning, he forced his eyes to open, and slowly, his vision went from blurry to clear. He found himself staring up at a white, paneled ceiling. Lower down closer to his head, there were odd contraptions that he realized dimly that he should recognize, but at the moment he couldn't place them. His brain was fuzzy.

He fell asleep again just a few moments later, and completely missed Jo walking quickly into his room, followed by Ellen and Bobby. He missed Bobby's voice yelling 'to _hell _with 'visiting hours', that's our boy in there!' And he missed Jo's feather-light kiss on his lips, and her soft whisper of 'I'm sorry, Dean.'

-

-

__

They were in a field, him and Sammy, just standing there. But Sam wasn't like him. Sam was cut up and bloody, beyond the ability to live, and yet here he was standing before him as though he were perfectly fine.

"Sammy?" Dean asked, noting the shining red blood staining his brother's front, side, back, arms, legs and face. "Don't you think we should get to the hospital?"

Sam shook his head, smiling sadly.

"It's too late, Dean," he whispered. Dean felt his heart clench.

"No," he almost laughed, forcing himself to take Sam's words as just a sudden martyr-ish tendency. "It's not. C'mon, Sammy. We need to get you fixed up."

"Dean," Sam sighed as Dean tried to grab his hand, but only clutched thin air. "I'm sorry. At least we got to see the first sun-rise of a demon-free world together."

"No," Dean whispered, head swinging back and forth. "You're not dead. This is all WRONG!!" He reached for Sam again, but couldn't touch him. His hands just kept going through him. Tears ran down Dean's face as Sam's figure started to fade, and he reached for his little brother again, terrified that he would lose him. "Sammy....."

"I'm sorry, Dean."

"SAM!!"

"Dean...'

"....no....."

__

"Dean..."

"Dean!"

Dean's eyes snapped open.

".....Jo?" he asked hoarsely. He still felt week, and cloudy, but he was absolutely sure it was her.

"Thank God," she breathed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He went to move his arms to return her embrace, but something pulled on his index fingers and left elbow, and he looked to see clips on his fingers, and an iv of some sort in his arm. There were bandages on his other arm, and he could feel even more on his chest that reached around to his back.

That was when he remembered everything; the fight, the demons, Lucifer......_Sam. Oh my God, Sammy!_

"Jo," he gasped, eyes going wide. He was dimly aware of pain in his middle somewhere. "Sam... w-where's Sam?!?"

"Shh, Dean," Jo tried to soothe as the pulse ox and the breathing monitor Dean was hooked to started to sound off in response to his rapid heartbeat and breathing.

"NO!" he cried. "W-where's Sam?!? H-he's hurt.... H-he..... n-neeeeeedddsssss mmmmmeeeee........." Dean's words slurred, his strength failed him, and he passed out, the frown of concern and worry still on his face.

"He okay?" Bobby asked from where he now stood in the doorway. He'd come running from his seat in the waiting room when he'd heard Dean's desperate yelling.

"H-he asked about Sam," Jo whispered, tears rolling slowly down her face.

"Jesus," Bobby breathed, running a hand through his hair.

"We can't tell him yet," Ellen said from her place by the window. "It'd be the death of him. Wait til he's better, Jo, honey."

Jo looked at Dean, and gently smoothed his mussed dark hair. It had gotten longer over the two weeks he'd been here.

"Is everything okay in here?" a nurse asked, appearing over Bobby's shoulder.

"Yeah," Ellen said shortly. "Dean just got a bit excited before he had the strength to back it up. And _damnit! _where's Ash?!?"

Jo didn't respond, and Bobby shrugged. The nurse turned and left, shaking her head.

-

-

It was another week before Dean could stay awake for long without hurting himself. After a second week, Jo realized it was time.

Dean had been asking for Sam, more and more, and every time, Jo, Ellen, Bobby, or a nurse or doctor, would have to turn the subject to something else.

"Jo," Dean said steadily, though his voice was still weaker than it should have been; than Jo remembered it. "I _need _to see Sam. I _get _that he's probably still in critical or something – I'd be surprised if he _wasn't._" When Jo said nothing, and looked nervously away, Dean continued. "I promise I won't go see him until the doctors say I can, alright?" Still nothing. "Jesus, Jo, what aren't you guys telling me about my brother?"

Looking into Dean's worried eyes, Jo knew she had to tell him. She couldn't do this to him. It would be cruel to let him keep thinking his brother was alive.

"Dean," she whispered. "That morning when Mom and I found you, you were almost dead."

"No kidding," Dean grunted. "I kinda figured that's why Sammy and I have been in here the past month."

Jo shook her head sadly.

"_You _were almost dead," she repeated. "To be honest, I'm surprised you made it."

She took a deep breath, and Dean could see in her eyes that what she was about to say would be bad. Really bad. Had Sammy ended up in a coma? Was he unable to walk, or move at all?

"By....by the time we got there....... Sam......was gone –"

"No," Dean said flatly. "Jo, come on. There's nowhere Sam could have gone in his condition. Where the _hell _is he? Why won't anyone tell me where he is?!?!"

"Because he _died!"_

Silence. Dean stared at Jo in absolute shock, and horror. _She's not lying, _he realized, looking into her honest eyes. _Oh, God, Sammy....My little brother...... _Dean shook his head, and turned away.

"I wanna be alone," he muttered, hiding his face, so Jo wouldn't see his tears. This couldn't be happening. Dean could feel his heart breaking; the world crashing down on him. His baby brother. He'd promised their father that he'd take care of Sammy, and he'd let him die. This wasn't fair at all. Why couldn't the earth just swallow him up – failure that he was?

Dean reached for the necklace he always wore. As his fingers curled around the pendant, he thought of Sam, who'd made it for him when they were just kids. This couldn't have happened. How could Sam, his _Sammy, _be dead? How could his baby brother be gone?

But Dean didn't have the strength yet to process the painfulness of Jo's news, and he slipped into a troubled sleep, his face and the pillow wet with tears.

XxX  
Yeah, sad. But after most of the next chapter, there's a bit of a turn around, and it starts getting happier. Review, please!


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